Gemma Fottles

British writer living la vida loca in Amsterdam. Print Editor at SuperYacht Times, impassioned by all things travel.

About

English born and raised and now living in Amsterdam, Europe's most beautiful city, I am a passionate and driven writer and editor, currently part of the team at the international media company, SuperYacht Company. Although my life is now filled with an abundance of the uber-lux (working in the superyacht industry does indeed have its perks...), my career certainly didn't start out on the luxury side, with my first position fresh out of university being the backpacking travel reporter for the international brand, SPAR.

My four months travelling around the world on behalf of SPAR was more than I could of ever hoped for as a graduate barely two months out of university and, in fact, is quite an interesting story. Entering a nationwide competition, I progressed through three different levels to take the top spot and the job of a lifetime. My travel blog, Fottles Travels, was most definitely a contributing factor to my success - a website I had created several years before on my first backpacking trip to Honduras whilst in my second year of studying.

Over the years, Fottles Travels has seen me travel from England to Australia, Amsterdam to Tokyo, and eventually even to the Cosmopolitan Blog awards in 2014, in which it was shortlisted for Best Travel Blog out of several thousand applicants. Although my blog has played a big part in my life, site updates have been somewhat sporadic since I took on the role as Editor of the international newspaper, The SuperYacht Times.

My role at The SuperYacht Times has grown and developed rapidly over the years and, as Editor, my role is highly demanding and challenging - two aspects of my work which I relish. I work closely with our graphic designer on the design of each issue, and although I have no previous design or, indeed, professional editorial experience prior to this job, I've learned a huge amount along the way and am confident that every issue, time and time again, is some of my best work. I thrive off working in creative environments with people and projects that inspire me, and in many ways, my position as Editor of the SuperYacht Times has provided this type of environment for me.

I fill my spare time with all of the cliche past times of any writer: indulging in my favourite books and magazines, visiting the beautiful cinemas of Amsterdam whenever I can, and finding the best hidden places to eat and drink around the city. My enthusiasm for travel is yet to cease, and I'm lucky enough to be able to tour the world with my job - as well as manage to take plenty of time to discover the world on my own terms.

Right now I'm in the process of writing my first travel book, focusing on student travel. The book is a hybrid of a travel guide and travel story, and is being written with the aim to inspire the next generation to get out there and see the world at the time of their lives with the least amount of responsibility, and most amount of spare time. A work in progress - keep tuned!